New York Governor Kathy Hochul has designated a special prosecutor to oversee an inquiry into a woman’s claim of being gang-raped at a fraternity house in Cornell University. The governor expressed a lack of confidence in the local district attorney’s ability to handle the case and signed an executive order appointing the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James as the special prosecutor.
Hochul emphasized concerns about the investigation by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to pursue charges in relation to an alleged sexual assault on the university’s campus in October 2024. The attorney general will lead the investigation and, if deemed necessary, present evidence to a grand jury.
The woman involved in the case, referred to as Jane Doe in legal documents, reported the assault to campus police, engaged with the university’s internal investigators, and initiated a lawsuit in September. The lawsuit implicates seven fraternity brothers, the university, the Chi Phi fraternity, and others, alleging that one of the men informed over 50 fraternity members through social media and encouraged their involvement.
While attorneys for two of the accused individuals have denied their involvement in the assault, attempts to contact the other defendants have been unsuccessful. The Tompkins County District Attorney, Matthew Van Houten, has agreed to reopen the investigation following the emergence of new details from the woman’s civil lawsuit.
Cornell University has taken steps to address the situation by suspending the Chi Phi fraternity indefinitely and taking disciplinary actions against certain students as a response to Jane Doe’s report. The university has refrained from disclosing specific details, citing student privacy regulations.
In light of these developments, Hochul emphasized the importance of a thorough and unbiased investigation to ensure justice for the woman at the center of the case. The governor’s decision aims to address the concerns raised and handle the matter with the necessary diligence and impartiality.
